Review: The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio

The Beautiful Strangers

by Camille Di Maio

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Pages: 320

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:   1958. Kate Morgan, tethered to her family’s failing San Francisco restaurant, is looking for an escape. She gets her chance by honoring a cryptic plea from her grandfather: find the beautiful stranger. The search takes her to Hotel del Coronado, the beachfront landmark on the Southern California coast where filming is underway on the movie Some Like It Hot.

For a movie lover like Kate, it’s a fantasy come true. So is the offer of a position at the glamorous hotel. And a new romance is making her heart beat just as fast. But as sure as she is that the Coronado is her future, Kate discovers it’s also where the ghosts of the past have come to stay. Sixty years ago a guest died tragically, and she still haunts the hotel’s halls.

As the lives of two women—generations apart—intertwine, Kate’s courageous journey could change more than she ever imagined. And with the Coronado wending its way through her soul, she must follow her dreams…wherever they may lead.

Kritters Thoughts:  A book that takes you behind the scenes of filmmaking which has been done before, but this one feels unique and fresh.  Kate Morgan decides to take the biggest risk and leave her family in San Francisco to follow her grandfather's words to go find the beautiful stranger; these words take her to the Hotel del Coronado and in the middle of a film set.  

I will always love books that take you behind the scenes of any profession, but something gets me about reading about being on a film set.  Of course, a film set that has Marilyn Monroe on it makes it even more special and reading (yes fiction) about how she was on set and how the public and her cast and crew reacted to her was so fascinating.  It made it feel even more special that it was a famous actress that we were following behind the scenes.  

Kate Morgan was a great character and I loved reading through her point of view into this world that felt so big to her.  Of course the little romance storyline was sweet and a little extra to enjoy.  

I have read two out of four of Camille Di Maio's books and after reading this book, I want to move the other two up my TBR and get to them sooner rather than later.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2019 Challenge: 14 out of 100


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.